


Hunger

by Aini_NuFire



Series: Musketeer Dragon Riders [41]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Dragon Riders, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29242044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aini_NuFire/pseuds/Aini_NuFire
Summary: Food shortages stir unrest within the city, and multiple thefts have the musketeers scrambling to keep the peace.
Series: Musketeer Dragon Riders [41]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1564573
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

"Look at this," Louis cooed to the infant in his arms as he angled the baby toward Dragor. "This is a dragon. One day you will be big enough to ride him." Louis grinned that wide-splitting, toothy grin of his as he continued to present a dragon to his son, who was far too young to know anything about the large creature looming over him.

Dragor, however, despite his formidable size and bearing, was remarkably gentle as he brought his nose close enough for the baby to touch if he so desired, and his old eyes were kind. Louis's eyes were filled with delight.

Anne watched them, standing slightly apart and feeling like an outside observer to this precious moment. She didn't think it was intentional; after all, she had been included on this outing. But the King had barely had a word for her since they left the palace for the dragon compound. More than that, Louis had been…distant with her lately, and she didn't understand why. Especially since she knew he was so happy to have a son. Anne had given him that, at long last. She thought it would have brought them closer together, but it only seemed to be driving them apart.

Anne brought her arms up to subtly hug herself. She yearned for someone to talk to as a friend. Constance wasn't even at the compound this morning. Anne understood, of course; they both had more duties now. But she was ever so lonely.

"Yes," Louis continued babbling to the baby. "One day you will grow up big and strong and be a dragon rider like your father." He flashed a grin at their attendants, who of course smiled and nodded in affirmation.

Anne wrung her hands in her skirts, suddenly worried Louis might want to take their child flying before he was old enough to sit a saddle.

Fortunately, before the King could get such an idea in his head, Treville appeared striding toward them.

"Your Majesty," he greeted. "It is almost time for the Council meeting to go over the latest reports from the front."

Louis made a long-suffering sigh. "If I must."

He handed the baby to his governess, and their group began to head back to the palace. Louis and Treville walked in the lead, already discussing matters that would be brought up at the Council meeting. That was another sore subject between the King and Queen, Anne felt: the war with Spain. She had tried to offer her own counsel, but the King's advisors had dismissed her, claiming she must devote all her attention to motherhood now. Anne knew what they really meant—she was Spanish and they did not trust her, though she had reiterated many times that she had spent more time in France than Spain and her heart was here. It had done little good, and Louis had not supported her, making a weak excuse that she was a woman and her delicate faculties weren't meant for such discussions. It infuriated her. Anne hated feeling useless. She was not just a mother, she was a Queen, and had been for years before the Dauphin had been born.

But no one saw her that way anymore, it seemed.

They arrived at the palace and went their separate ways, the men to the Council and the women to the Queen's apartments. Anne immediately dismissed her ladies-in-waiting, and her son's governess. Even worse than feeling lonely was feeling alone while surrounded by people.

So Anne took her baby into her private chamber and sat on the floor with him, basking in his gurgling laugh and flailing limbs. He was beautiful and perfect, her only light in these dark days.

.o.0.o.

Athos sat at his desk in his office with Constance, the two of them going over the duty roster. He wanted to increase the training sessions now that four full-fledged musketeers were around to put the new recruits through their paces. Porthos would handle the hand-to-hand fighting, and while Aramis had been out of the game for two years, he was still the best marksman to teach these cadets a thing or two.

"Will you or d'Artagnan be taking over their sword fighting training?" Constance asked.

"I'm sure you and d'Artagnan can handle that," he replied. He caught her look of surprise and smiled. "You are no slouch yourself," Athos pointed out.

Constance's lips twitched at the compliment. "Still, d'Artagnan will get them to a much higher level than I ever could."

"Which they will reach all the more quickly because of your instruction," Athos said, discontent to let Constance think her contributions to the garrison were not of equal value to theirs. Indeed, she had been an invaluable asset while they were away, and even still now that they were back.

Urgent shouting from outside interrupted their focus.

"Madame d'Artagnan!"

Constance exchanged a look with Athos and they both quickly stood and strode out onto the balcony. One of the cadets was running toward the stairs.

"Madame d'Artagnan! I mean, Captain," he fumbled to correct when he saw Athos. "Come quick! There's a riot happening out in the street!"

Now that they were outside, Athos could hear the faint din of a commotion coming from over the garrison walls.

He turned and leaned over the railing to look out at the yard. "Porthos!" he shouted, waving to get his attention. Aramis and d'Artagnan were nearby and jogged over as well. Athos hastened down the steps and drew his sword, signaling to the others they should do the same. The cadet hurried ahead toward the gate and pointed down the street at the source of the disturbance.

"Stay here," Athos ordered the boy and stormed down the road, his three friends right behind him.

There was a large group of people crowding the street and pressing in toward something in the center. It wasn't until they drew closer that Athos recognized the butcher who provided the meat orders for the dragon compound. He was seated on his wagon and trying to kick people away as they clambered around the sides.

Athos pulled his pistol and fired straight up into the air. The thunderous report startled the enraged mob, stalling their assault.

"That's enough!" he bellowed.

Porthos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan spread out around him, swords raised in warning. Several people backed away at the show of force, but many more stood their ground.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aramis demanded.

"This man refuses to sell his meat!" one citizen declared loudly.

"It's already been sold," the butcher rejoined.

"To the King to feed his dragons," the first man said scornfully. "And now there are four more in the city!" He whirled toward the musketeers. "It takes several pounds almost daily to keep them fed. Do you have any idea how many people that would feed?"

"The dragons are a crucial part of the city's security," Athos replied.

"They are a gluttonous excess!" someone else spat. "That food should go to the people!"

"Those beasts get prime cuts while my family is living off scraps!" another shouted. He surged forward, and Porthos shoved him back.

D'Artagnan reached the butcher's mule and grabbed the reins, urging the animal forward while Aramis and Porthos held the people at bay. A raucous chorus of overlapping shouts and barbs rose up, but the people weren't armed, and the musketeers' weapons kept them back as the butcher drove his wagon the rest of the way to the garrison. A line of cadets met them, all with swords drawn but looking nervous. Still, it was enough of a last show of force to prevent the people from rushing them.

"Close the gate!" Athos ordered as they filed inside after the wagon.

The cadets rushed to shut the gate, blocking out the enraged citizens.

Constance hurried over to Jaquob sitting on the wagon. "Are you all right?"

He nodded shakily and looked at the musketeers. "Thank you."

"I suggest you leave by the back gate," Athos said, coming over to take possession of the delivery the man had gone through so much trouble to bring them. But as he flipped back the tarp covering, he frowned at the few slabs of meat in the cart.

"Did those people manage to steal some?" Porthos asked, also taking a look at the shipment.

Jaquob shifted in obvious discomfort. "No, I'm afraid that's all I have."

Athos shared a dismayed look with the others; this was far less than what they'd ordered for the six dragons in residence between the garrison and the royal compound.

"How is this all you have?" Constance asked him. "You've been supplying us for years."

"Yeah, well, the sheep herder who does the actual supplying is running short. He doesn't have enough to fulfill all his open orders, let alone feed his own family and keep his stock going."

"Why?" Aramis asked.

"He's been suffering a string of poaching on his lands," Jaquob explained. "People are…" He cocked his head toward the gate and the crowd that had been gathered on the other side of it. "Hungry."

"Does the King know?" Athos asked.

"I don't know," he replied. "I think Pichard reported it to the governor. I'm sorry, but I've done the best I can."

Athos nodded in resigned acceptance. "I understand."

Constance waved over a couple of the cadets and instructed them to unload the meat. They knew where to put it.

"We can send the dragons out in shifts to hunt on their own," she suggested. "It would be enough of a supplement for the time being."

Athos nodded. That was their best option, though likely the dragons would have to travel a good distance to avoid crossing game paths with the very people they were competing with for food.

"We can also look into these poaching incidents," he told Jaquob.

The butcher inclined his head gratefully. "If we're to keep the dragons' supply going, I think that would be a good idea."

Athos turned to Aramis and d'Artagnan. "Why don't you two head out there and take a look around. And, Porthos, maybe make sure Jaquob gets home alright."

As for himself, he would make a little trip to the refugee camp to make some inquiries of his own.

The four musketeers saddled their dragons and then took to the skies in different directions. Savron flew over the city toward the refugee encampment and landed on its outskirts. Given the hostility over the Musketeer dragons' return to Paris, Athos told Savron it'd probably be better if he kept an aerial watch until Athos signaled for him to come back and pick him up. Savron obliged with a flap of his wings to retake flight.

Athos made his way through the camp. Though he'd been there a couple of times already, he still earned several tense and guarded looks. These people still didn't trust anyone in uniform, not that the City Guard had given them reason to. At least he was able to pass through unmolested to Ninon's tent. He found her sitting on a small stool outside with a ring of young girls at her feet. She had an open book in her lap, facing outward, and was tracing her finger along a line of text that the children read aloud. When one of the girls stumbled over a word, Ninon paused to pronounce it for her, waiting until the girl had repeated it back a few times correctly before moving on.

Athos hung back, hoping to catch Ninon's attention without having to interrupt. It was another minute or two, but she finally looked up and spotted him watching.

She closed the book and smiled at her students. "That's enough for today. You all did wonderful."

She then stood as the children dispersed and made her way over to Athos.

"Back to your old pursuits, I see," he remarked.

"These young girls have no prospects," Ninon replied stiffly. "Their only hope for a future lies in an education."

"I was not condemning it," Athos said calmly.

Ninon lifted her chin. "As I recall, you were not all that supportive of it when I was conducting lessons in my home."

"That was different."

"How?"

Athos shook his head. "I didn't come here to debate women's education."

"Why did you come here?"

He sighed. "To ask if you knew about anyone in the camp poaching off nearby grazing lands."

Ninon visibly bristled. "I do not. And why do you assume it was one of us when there is a whole city full of disgruntled people?"

"I haven't assumed anything and we're looking into all possibilities. I merely thought checking with you first could save us some time and effort."

Ninon eyed him for a moment. "My apologies," she finally said. "I am used to our group being blamed for everything."

"Given the state of stretched resources, it would be understandable if some here would turn to poaching," he said carefully.

"When the other choice is to starve, yes," she agreed. "Would the King punish such people for that?" she challenged.

"That is the law," Athos replied.

"The law sets up the disadvantaged and then punishes them for it."

He didn't want to argue with her; it wouldn't change the circumstances.

"If you hear anything, you'll let me know?" he asked.

Ninon gazed back at him coolly, not committing to an answer either way.

Athos canted his head at her in farewell and then turned to leave. He supposed he shouldn't have expected unquestioning cooperation. Ninon's political views and his were somewhat polar. He just hoped she wouldn't actively harbor any criminals.

Athos left the camp and walked out into the open field to wait for Savron. It also wasn't that Athos thought Ninon was wrong about people being forced to choose between starvation and breaking the law, it was just that he still had a duty to uphold, no matter what. They didn't live in an ideal world, far from it with the war going on. As he'd learned captaining on the front—hard decisions had to be made.

And they always had consequences, no matter the intentions.


	2. Chapter 2

Aramis watched the King sitting on a picnic blanket and playing with his son under a shaded awning. It was a pleasant summer day and not too warm for standing guard over the royal family, though Aramis had forgotten how tedious it could be sometimes. He would've thought those years at the monastery practicing contemplation would have honed that particular skill.

Porthos also seemed to have trouble standing still at his post on the other side of the garden with Vrita, as he kept shifting his weight from foot to foot. Vrita let out a massive yawn that had Aramis hiding a grin. Fortunately, the King didn't notice, as he was far too enraptured with the gurgling baby on the blanket.

Rhaego sneezed behind Aramis.

"Bless you," he said automatically, then furrowed his brow and angled a look over his shoulder. "Did you just do that on my new coat?"

His dragon flicked his gaze up toward the sky as though something more important had caught his attention. Aramis rolled his eyes.

He wondered how long the King and Queen planned to remain outside. He and d'Artagnan hadn't found any sign of the poachers yesterday, and Aramis was eager to try again. The sooner they could solve that problem, the sooner they could hopefully ease some of the tension between the people and the garrison. But it was the Musketeers' duty to watch over the royal family outside the palace walls, and Louis had been insistent on having a dragon's presence ever since the Dauphin had been born.

Aramis watched the King lift the baby up and give him a jiggle in the air. He didn't begrudge them this, even though so many others were suffering from the war. His heart did ache, though, for those orphans back at the monastery who would never again know the delighted smile of a parent gazing down upon them.

The Queen suddenly stood up from the blanket and moved away from the awning toward the winding paths of the garden. Aramis and Rhaego were closer, so he nodded to Porthos and then set off after her, keeping a few paces' distance. Unlike the King, she hadn't seemed to be enjoying herself.

She walked for a few minutes down the path between the rose bushes, then stopped and turned around to face her escorts.

"Is everything alright, Your Majesty?" Aramis ventured.

She gave him a weak smile. "Yes, of course. I did not get the chance to say it before, but I am glad you have returned. The news of your departure was surprising, I must confess. The Musketeers and France lost a great man."

He hesitated. "It was…necessary at the time."

Anne nodded. "After what happened with Rochefort…there were times I wanted to escape, go somewhere else." Her voice dropped lower. "Away from so many bad memories."

"Your Majesty endured a great deal," Aramis said. "Your strength does you credit."

"One cannot stand alone forever," she said softly.

He frowned and moved a step closer. "You are not alone."

Anne's eyes were filled with such sorrow and loneliness in that moment that it took Aramis by surprise. She glanced at Rhaego. "I envy you and the Musketeers. Even Constance has a bond with the dragons in the compound. They may not speak in words, but I have witnessed the closeness of your companionship. It must be comforting."

Aramis exchanged a look with his dragon, and Rhaego started to shuffle closer. The Queen automatically lifted a hand to touch his snout. There was more going on here, but Aramis didn't know what to make of it.

"Does Your Majesty not visit the dragon compound anymore?" he asked carefully.

Anne shook her head sadly. "Not for some time. The latter months of my pregnancy, I was kept on bedrest, and then once the Dauphin was born… Besides, Constance has her hands full at the Musketeer garrison."

So that was it, or at least part of the problem. Constance had been the only true friend and confidante the Queen had, and the loss of that constant support had to be difficult.

"Well," Aramis began, "with the four of us returned to help shoulder the load, I'm sure Constance wouldn't mind a visit at the garrison. Neither would Rhaego, though you might have to bribe him with some treats. Nothing too fattening, though."

Aramis reached out to pat his dragon's upper belly, and Rhaego made an indignant gurgle in response. That drew a genuine smile from the Queen, and Aramis grinned back.

Now that she seemed somewhat cheered up, they turned and headed back to the others, only to find someone else had already arrived to interrupt the King's morning. Aramis didn't recognize him, but he was dressed in the fine cloth of someone wealthy or important. The Queen regally made her way back over to rejoin her husband as the man addressed the King.

"Your Majesty, I have heard about the problem with the dragons' meat supply, and I believe I can help."

Aramis walked over to Porthos, who leaned over and said quietly in his ear,

"That's the governor."

Ah. And he knew about the meat supply problem because the sheep herder had reported it a while ago, though it didn't seem as though the governor had actually done anything about it since. So what did he want?

"I have my own supply of well stocked meat I would be pleased to sell to the Crown," the governor went on.

"Where'd you get this supply?" Porthos interjected suspiciously.

Aramis tried to keep his expression neutral against his surprise at his friend's outspokenness.

"I have my resources," Magnier told him snootily before turning back to the King. "Shall we make an arrangement?"

Louis considered it for a moment, then with a reluctant sigh, handed the Dauphin to the baby's governess. "Very well," he said as he stood, gesturing for the governor to follow him into the palace.

The Queen watched them go, then held her arms out to take her son.

Aramis and Porthos exchanged a look.

"Feeding the dragons is important," Aramis commented.

"Yeah, but I don't like that man," Porthos half growled.

Obviously not. But it wasn't their duty to involve themselves in governmental affairs, so the musketeers and their dragons remained at their posts with the Queen and the Dauphin.

.o.0.o.

The fields out behind the Musketeer garrison and dragon compound provided little cover, but if he kept along the wall, he should be fine. With both places mostly empty these days, the chance of him being spotted was almost nil. The rabbit warren was up ahead, a sprawling network of burrows enclosed by a small moat and fencing to keep out predators. He knew it was fully stocked for the King's dragons, all that food source just sitting there to feed a bunch of beasts while people went hungry. It wasn't right.

He stopped along the edge of the wall and looked around. No one was in sight, so he darted out toward the warren and crouched down to cut through the fence netting. He then slipped through the slit he'd made and hopped over the trench of water that prevented the rabbits from escaping. He caught sight of a few bounding away at his intrusion, but he knew they wouldn't be going far.

He knelt down at the first burrow and reached in to drag out one of the small animals. Rabbits died of fright easily, and he stuffed his catch into his satchel. He then reached in to snag a second.

A hair-raising shriek sounded from above, and he jerked his head up as a brown dragon came swooping down toward him. It belted out another furious screech.

He leaped to his feet and bolted for the fence, getting tangled in the netting as he frantically tried to slip through it. He finally broke free and tripped, going to his knees. Just as he scrambled upright again, the dragon came slamming down to land in front of him. He staggered to a stop, heart seizing. The beast opened its gaping maw and roared, sulfuric hot breath battering his face with suffocating intensity.

He darted to the side and tried to get past the creature, but the dragon spun and swiped its tail, catching him in the legs and flinging him face first to the ground. The oxygen punched from his lungs as he hit hard. His chest burned and he desperately tried to get up.

The dragon bared its fangs and lunged.

.o.0.o.

Constance was walking across the garrison yard when she heard a dragon roar echo through the air. The Musketeer dragons were all out, so it had to be coming from the compound. Constance burst into a run toward the adjoining gate. Another screech rent the air, drawing the hairs up on her neck. This dragon was enraged.

She reached the gate just as her father yanked it open, his eyes as wide and alarmed as hers.

"It's not…?" she started, and he gave a sharp head shake; it wasn't coming from the compound.

Together, they hurried toward the back gate that opened up into the fields outside the city walls. They immediately spotted the female dragon from the compound, Lira, out near the rabbit warren. She threw her head back and roared again.

Constance and her father ran over, only to pull up short in horror at the sight of a man slain at the dragon's feet. Lira gave the corpse a derisive snort, her fangs splashed with blood. There were two dead rabbits sticking out of the man's bag, and a section of the warren's fencing had been broken. As a breeding female, Lira was particularly territorial, and it was simply this poor man's misfortune that she had caught him in the act of looting when returning from her own hunt.

"Oh no," Jean uttered and rushed toward the warren.

Constance caught some fleeting movement in the grass—rabbits escaping into the field. One of the fence posts had fallen over the moat, creating a bridge for them to cross. Jean quickly bent down to lift it up, but the damage had been done.

Constance looked between Lira and the slain man, then shared a helpless look with her father.

.o.0.o.

Athos gazed down at the mauled body on the ground. Never before had there been such an incident of a King's dragon attacking a citizen outside of combat situations.

"He broke into the warren?" Athos asked.

Constance nodded, expression grim. "Lira must have caught him in the act."

"Where is the dragon now?"

"Back inside the compound."

Athos sighed and finally gestured for the cadets to cover the body and load it onto the cart to be taken to the city morgue. "Theft of royal property carries the penalty of death. He would have hanged had he been caught by anyone else."

"Is that supposed to make this better?" d'Artagnan said.

"No. It just is what it is. How much of the warren was lost?"

"It looks like half," Bonacieux replied.

Porthos scowled and turned away to pace.

Aramis held his hat in his hands, fingering the brim. "So our food problems have just worsened."

Indeed. And now they had to report this to the King.

Athos pointed to two cadets. "Stand guard here for the time being."

He then turned to make his way to the palace. The others accompanied him, including Jean and Constance. They were a somber party that assembled in one of the libraries to await the King. When Louis arrived, Treville was with him, and Jean and Constance were forced to recount what had happened and the devastating results.

Louis's mouth sputtered like a gaping fish. " _Half_ the warren?" he nearly shrieked.

"It appears so, Your Majesty," Jean replied regretfully.

The King made several more sounds of shock and displeasure. "And a dragon caught the thief?"

"Yes," Athos confirmed. "He is dead."

Louis shook his head. "Well. Justice has been served, then."

Several of them dropped their gazes to the floor; one's life was a high price to pay for two rabbits, even if the thief's actions had resulted in a chain of events with devastating consequences.

The door creaked open and an attendant poked his head in. "Beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but Governor Magnier is here and says he has urgent news."

"What else could go wrong today?" Louis groaned, then waved for the governor to be admitted.

The pompous man strode in, faltering at the sight of the musketeers and royal dragon keepers. Likely he hadn't expected such an audience, but the King hadn't dismissed them.

"Yes, Magnier, what is it?" Louis asked tiredly.

"Your Majesty, I regret to inform you that the meat stock I was to have transferred to your compound has been stolen, along with all the grain reserves."

Louis sputtered again in outrage. "First the warren and now this?" he exclaimed.

Athos shared a dismayed look with the others. This was, indeed, more grievous news, especially considering the dragons' worsening food situation.

Magnier cocked his head. "The warren?"

"There was a break-in at the dragon compound's warren today," Treville explained. "A significant portion of the stock was lost."

The governor straightened sharply. "I suspect the refugees are behind these atrocities, Your Majesty."

"Do you have any proof of such allegations?" Athos interjected.

"They have been nothing but a menace since they began to congregate in Paris," Magnier rejoined with a glare. "Your Majesty, I swear I will find these perpetrators and they will be severely punished."

"Well, the warren thief is dead, so I'm afraid you're too late there," d'Artagnan put in, shooting the man an irreverent look.

Magnier puffed himself up in response. "Then all that remains are the thieves who took the meat and grain. I will dispatch my guards to the refugee camp at once."

"The Musketeers will go along," Athos said. "The more investigating hands, the better."

Magnier glowered at him, but before he could refuse, Louis responded first.

"Yes, good idea, Athos. I'm sure with the Musketeers' help, these perpetrators will be found swiftly."

The musketeers bowed respectfully, while the governor gritted his teeth. Athos had no doubt how he would have his city guards conduct their investigation, and Athos had no intention of letting them run roughshod over the refugees.

Especially since he knew one in particular would definitely not stand for it…


	3. Chapter 3

The musketeers managed to beat the city guards to the refugee camp thanks to the speed of dragon flight. There was no space for the dragons in the actual camp, so they were forced to wait along the outskirts while their riders went in and were at least able to warn the people of what was coming before the guards arrived. Many of them were upset, naturally, and Athos beseeched Ninon to help contain the outrage; they didn't need to provoke the city guards.

"I know these people," Ninon protested. "None of them were behind this."

"Can you really speak for every single individual?" Athos countered rationally as city guards went in and out of surrounding tents conducting a thorough search.

She crossed her arms. "A theft of that magnitude would have required careful planning and organization. And if the goods were here, they would have been distributed and I would have known about it."

She made good points, and Athos didn't disagree about the organized part. But there was nothing he could do to stop the guards from searching the camp; they were acting under the governor's express orders, with the King's approval.

One of the guards brought out a small chest and roughly dumped its contents onto the ground.

Aramis stormed over and yanked the empty box out of his hands. "There's obviously no grain here," he snapped. "Move on."

The guard drew himself up in preparation for a confrontation, and Aramis held his ground. Athos caught Captain Lahaye's eye and shot him a warning glare. The Musketeers would not tolerate any unwarranted antagonism during this _lawful_ search.

Lahaye's expression was hard, but he turned to his man and said, "Move on."

Aramis waited for the guard to step away, then knelt down to gather the scattered items back into the chest.

Porthos and d'Artagnan were also carefully watching the guards to ensure they didn't step over the line.

Ninon's face was livid, and she turned away from having to watch. "I heard about what happened at the dragon compound," she said to Athos.

"Word travels fast," he remarked.

"People who've lived in Paris their whole lives are used to dragons. When one disturbs the peace, it's hard not to notice."

"The incident is regrettable," he said, then hesitated. "Perhaps when we are done here, you might consent to coming to the morgue and seeing if you recognize him. As of yet, he remains unidentified."

Ninon canted her head at him. "That has a ring of familiarity, doesn't it? Do you woo all your women by taking them to the morgue?"

"I…that wasn't…" Athos floundered.

She smirked. "Still easily flustered, I see." Ninon quirked her lips. "I find it rather charming."

Athos was saved from further ribbing by a shout from a few tents down. A pair of city guards exited a tent and held up two empty sacks marked with the city's official emblem.

"The stolen grain!" Lahaye declared. "Round everyone up!"

"Hey!" Porthos interjected. "You found those in one tent and you plan to arrest every single person?"

"No doubt they are all complicit in this together," the captain replied snidely.

"That is hardly proof," d'Artagnan rejoined. "And where is the grain?"

"Are you refusing to uphold the law?" Lahaye challenged.

"It is impractical to arrest every single person," Athos put in more calmly. "Nor is there room in the Chatelet for them all."

Lahaye sneered. "No doubt some will resist, and we will have to act accordingly."

"Where is the rest of the grain?" Aramis put in. "And the meat? You only found two empty bags out of how many? That is not enough to condemn in any fair court."

"It is enough for me," Lahaye said.

"Well it is not for me," Athos responded darkly. "We will continue the investigation." He swept his gaze around the encampment, knowing he had to make some concessions in order to buy time. He raised his voice to address the refugees. "You will all remain within the camp until granted leave to move about freely," he announced. He then shot Lahaye a severe look. "You are welcome to have some men watch the perimeter, but I'll be leaving a dragon to stand guard."

Lahaye glowered back at him for a long moment. "We'll see what the governor has to say about that," he said and turned on his heel, gesturing for his men to follow.

Athos relaxed marginally at their departure, then turned to Ninon. "I'm sorry. It was the best compromise I could think of to keep the City Guard at bay for a little while longer."

"I suppose I should be thanking you," she said stiffly. "Though I'm not sure many here will agree."

"Hopefully they will when we find the actual thieves and bring them to justice," Aramis replied.

"And what if the thieves are among the refugees?" d'Artagnan quietly asked.

"They are not," Ninon insisted. "I know the people from that tent and they couldn't possibly be behind this. Plus, as you already pointed out, where is the grain itself?"

"It is curious, only finding two empty sacks," Athos agreed.

"And what about the meat?" Porthos put in. "Maybe the dragons could sniff it out? They gotta be gettin' hungry themselves."

"Which brings up the poacher problem we're also supposed to be looking into," d'Artagnan added.

"Alright," Athos said, "we'll leave Savron and Vrita here to watch the camp. To protect everyone from the city guards," he told Ninon. "D'Artagnan and Ayelet can resume the search for the poachers, and the rest of us will try to find a lead on the governor's stores."

They all exchanged nods and turned to head back to the edge of the camp. Athos lingered a moment to speak with Ninon.

"Try to keep everyone calm and patient," he advised.

"I will do my best, but you had best find answers sooner rather than later."

Athos already knew that; he didn't know what he would do if the governor approved a full-scale assault on the refugee camp.

He quickened his pace to catch up with the others. They had already reached the dragons and d'Artagnan was mounting up on Ayelet while Porthos explained to Savron and Vrita their role in remaining here.

"Rhaego cannot carry us all," Athos said when he rejoined them. "We'll have to make our way on foot to the storehouse, and if he discovers a scent, we'll follow from below."

"The one downside to working with dragons within the city," Aramis commented with a sigh and nodded to Rhaego to get going by air.

D'Artagnan and Ayelet also took off, and the three remaining musketeers set off to trek through the city streets toward the governor's storehouse where the stock had been stolen from. The place currently wasn't under guard, perhaps because it was empty. All the better for them to not have to deal with resistance while they took a look around.

Also fortunate, there was enough room for Rhaego to land and try sniffing out a scent.

"Shoulda kept one of those empty sacks," Porthos huffed.

"I'm sure the meat will be more enticing to him," Aramis replied.

Athos crouched next to the door. "There's no visible evidence of a break-in," he commented.

"Someone could have picked the lock?" Aramis said.

"The guards didn't report a confrontation with anyone?" Porthos asked.

Athos shook his head and straightened. "No."

"Perhaps they're lying to avoid the embarrassment of being overtaken?" Aramis suggested.

"If there were guards at all," Athos idly mused.

Rhaego suddenly let out a sharp trill.

"Got it?" Aramis asked.

His dragon bobbed his head in the affirmative, then launched into the sky. The three musketeers set after him on foot.

.o.0.o.

D'Artagnan found a small copse of trees near the sheep herder's grazing land where he and Ayelet could set down behind a little bit of cover. The only way they were going to catch the poachers was to catch them in the act, but the lying in wait wasn't exactly to d'Artagnan's taste, especially with the other problems going on right now. But in case the others didn't find the thieves—or did but not the stolen meat—then the dragons' food problem would need to be rectified by stopping the poachers stealing from their original source.

Ayelet gazed out at the herd of sheep and made small smacking noises with her jaws.

"No," d'Artagnan warned, giving her a firm look.

She gurgled unhappily, but he knew she wouldn't actually break cover and snatch up a sheep. Her meals may have been a little thinner the past few days, but she wasn't starving.

Ayelet suddenly stiffened, then nudged her nose against d'Artagnan's shoulder and pointed it across the field. He followed the direction of her gaze and spotted movement crossing the pasture toward the sheep—two men. D'Artagnan frowned; they didn't look like starving peasants. For one thing, they were armed like mercenaries or bandits. That could explain the poaching: men who wouldn't want to venture into the city. They drew machetes as they approached the herd.

D'Artagnan gave Ayelet a tap to signal the charge and he burst out from their cover, sprinting across the field toward the men. Ayelet leaped up from the trees behind him in a straight arc, then came swooping down to glide over his head, scattering the sheep in a bleating frenzy.

The men pulled up short, eyes widening in alarm. They drew pistols and fired at Ayelet. She shrieked and banked sharply to one side. D'Artagnan's heart lurched. Could they have been armed with acimite?

The men were quickly exchanging their spent pistols for fresh ones, so d'Artagnan pulled his and skidded to a stop in order to take aim. He squeezed the trigger, and one of the poachers jerked and cried out. The other whipped his gun toward d'Artagnan and fired. The shot missed as d'Artagnan ducked.

Ayelet roared and swooped back around. The second poacher abandoned trying to fight and turned and ran. D'Artagnan was prepared to chase after him, but the one he'd shot apparently wasn't dead, for he was staggering to his feet and gripping his machete. D'Artagnan drew his sword and turned to face him just as the guy lunged. The clang of steel rang out across the field. The poacher's blade was heavier, and so was his staggering swing, but his wound hindered his agility, and within a few maneuvers, d'Artagnan had scored a deep slice across his chest, dropping him for good.

He whirled in search of Ayelet, who alighted on the ground a few feet away. D'Artagnan rushed over.

"Are you hit?" he asked urgently.

She thrust her nose toward her flank where a shallow furrow had gouged a track across her scales.

D'Artagnan exhaled in relief, then turned toward the woodland where the other poacher was barreling into the trees. He swiftly climbed into Ayelet's saddle. "Take us high," he instructed. He did not want to let that guy get away.

Ayelet flapped her wings and launched them into the air, gaining altitude quickly and taking them out of range of any more pistol shots of acimite. D'Artagnan scanned the trees below intently, desperately trying to get a glimpse of their quarry.

Ayelet veered left sharply and started cutting a path toward the city. A moment later, d'Artagnan caught sight of the poacher hurrying into one of the outer districts. He found it curious, so instead of trying to swoop down and intercept him, d'Artagnan decided to remain aloft and see where he was going.

A few more blocks, and the man ducked into a warehouse. D'Artagnan tapped Ayelet and pointed to a flat rooftop she could land on. No sooner had they touched down that they spotted Rhaego circling closer to their location. D'Artagnan didn't want Ayelet to call out and alert the poacher they'd been following, but she seemed to know that, and silently spread her wings wide, angling them so the sun caught her opalescent scales and shimmered. Rhaego turned their way and came in to land on the roof beside them.

"Are you tracking the stolen meat?" d'Artagnan asked.

The russet dragon bobbed his head and swung his head toward the warehouse. D'Artagnan arched his brows; wasn't that interesting.

"Rhaego!" a voice hissed from below.

D'Artagnan crouched at the edge of the rooftop and looked down into the alley where Aramis, Porthos, and Athos had gathered. They looked surprised to see him as well. He unhooked his anchor line and gestured for Ayelet to position herself along the ledge, then he used the rope to rappel down the side of the building.

"What, you get tired of hunting poachers?" Porthos asked.

"Found two of them, as a matter of fact," he replied. "One's dead, but we followed the other one here. And it looks like Rhaego tracked the stolen meat to the same place."

His friends exchanged intrigued looks at that.

"Someone tryin' to starve the dragons?" Porthos speculated incredulously.

"Let's ask," Athos said, drawing his sword and pistol and striding toward the storehouse.

D'Artagnan unsheathed his sword and followed, while Aramis whistled to Rhaego and Ayelet and signaled for them to cover the exits. Then the four musketeers marched right up to the door and stormed inside.

There were more men than d'Artagnan had anticipated, but the element of surprise served in their favor. Athos and Aramis shot the first two guards, while Porthos was close enough to leap at the third. There were two more further in, and d'Artagnan darted for a support column to take cover as they started shooting. After the first shots, he jerked his head out for a look and saw they didn't have any secondary guns, so he charged toward them. They drew their swords in time to meet his blade, and he parried their strikes in quick succession of each other.

Though he was holding his own, Aramis darted in and engaged the second, leaving d'Artagnan free to quickly dispatch the other one. When he turned around, there were no more foes to face.

"What happened to asking?" Aramis said, raising an eyebrow at Athos.

Their captain merely shrugged.

"The grain's here," Porthos announced from the back of the room. "And the meat. Looks like all of it, too."

Well, that was a relief. They could clear the refugees and get their stock back.

"Why would poachers also steal a bunch of meat from the city's stores?" Aramis questioned out loud.

"Because they could?" d'Artagnan replied. "It'd fetch a good price."

"And yet it's just sitting here."

"I want to know where the governor's special source is," Porthos put in. "Maybe he was being supplied by these poachers?"

"And they, what, double crossed him?" d'Artagnan said.

"Or the stock was never stolen in the first place," Athos commented.

"You think the governor made it up?"

"I think this is all a little too convenient," Athos replied as he swept his gaze around the storehouse. "Unfortunately, we can't prove anything beyond these men being the thieves."

"At least it will prove Ninon and the refugees innocent," Aramis said.

Athos nodded. "Let's get this evidence before the King and put an end to this entire mess."


	4. Chapter 4

Athos sent d'Artagnan and Ayelet back to the garrison to round up the cadets and return with two wagons, one for the meat and grain, the other for the slain bandits. The musketeers then took the cart with the food and brought it to the palace to present to the King and Governor Magnier, who they also sent word to so the man would meet them there.

"We've recovered all of the stolen goods, Your Majesty," Athos reported, gesturing to the wagon sitting in the gravel drive behind him.

"Excellent work," Louis praised them.

Magnier, on the other hand, was looking a tad piqued.

"None of the refugees were behind the theft, either," Athos went on, regarding the man out of the corner of his eye. "In fact, there were two plain sacks of grain among the lot. I can only surmise that the thieves swapped out the official sacks for some reason. And then one of the refugees came upon the discarded sackcloth and perhaps thought to salvage it for the material."

Louis blinked in surprise, then made an amused sort of chuckle. "Well, we should tell the refugees not to pick up anything with official seals, even out of the garbage."

Athos was still watching the governor. "I'll pass the advice along. I'm sure they'll be more careful after this unfortunate misunderstanding."

Magnier's jaw looked tight. "Indeed," he gritted out. "You musketeers have done well."

"There is one more thing," Athos said as the man started to leave, and he turned back to the King. "We also found the poachers responsible for depleting Pichard's herd. Coincidentally, they were holed up with the stolen meat and grain." He then canted his head back toward Magnier. "Perhaps your source of meat can shed some light on this connection. We'd like to speak to him."

Magnier stared back at Athos, a muscle in his cheek ticking.

After a rather long beat of silence, Louis cleared his throat.

"Well, Governor?"

Magnier flicked a look at the King. "It is…possible…that my supplier was not honest about his own stock. It sounds as though I have been cheated as well, Your Majesty, and I am outraged at the notion. It is fortunate your musketeers put a stop to this criminal enterprise."

Louis pursed his mouth thoughtfully.

Athos wasn't buying it, and he shared a subtle look with the others that showed neither were they.

"This means…" Louis said, brightening, "that this meat stock is rightfully the Crown's."

"Indeed, Your Majesty," Aramis agreed.

Louis beamed. "Excellent. It seems we don't need that arrangement after all, Governor."

Magnier was almost turning a livid shade of puce, and he bowed his head stiffly.

The King summoned his servants to take possession of the meat and then went back inside the palace.

"We'll be sure the grain is delivered to your storehouse," Athos told the governor.

The man shot them a seething glare, then turned on his heel and marched away.

"Wish we could've nailed him for tryin' to cheat the King," Porthos grumbled.

"Not to mention trying to frame the refugees for the so-called theft," Aramis added.

"It's going to be really hard to keep the peace when Magnier and his city guards are looking for any excuse to target them," d'Artagnan commented.

Indeed.

"We'll just have to be on our guard," Athos said.

.o.0.o.

Aramis stuck the wooden post in the hole and wedged it in as deep as he could, then held it upright as Constance shoveled dirt around the gaps to secure it. Once done, he gave the post a test jiggle. It held. All that was left was to attach the mended netting between the posts. That would fix the fence around the rabbit warren, though there wasn't really a way to safeguard it from future break-ins. Except that word of the incident would have spread, and hopefully that would be a deterrent for anyone foolish enough to attempt such a theft again. Though, it also likely wouldn't have endeared the musketeers to the people who already didn't want the dragons here.

The tragic part—aside from the loss of life—was that perhaps an arrangement could have been made to sell some of the rabbit stock to the people, since the warren wasn't supporting an entire garrison of dragons at the moment. Now with half of it depleted, that wouldn't be an option anymore.

Aramis looked up as he spotted someone coming out the back gate of the garrison and was stunned to see it was the Queen. She swept her gaze around the field before noticing them and started making her way over.

"Your Majesty," he said in surprise. "You shouldn't be out here without a guard."

"I was only coming to visit the garrison, as you suggested," she replied, flashing a smile at Constance. "I surely don't need a guard for that. Only, no one seemed to be around. I saw the back gate open."

Aramis held back a sigh. "You should return to within the garrison's walls." He nodded to Constance to go with her. "I'll finish up here."

"Did he have a family?" Anne asked abruptly. "The man who was killed?"

Aramis and Constance exchanged a sober look.

"We don't know," she replied.

"The leader of the refugees didn't recognize him," Aramis added. "He might have lived within the city, or just been passing through."

Anne looked uncomfortable and dropped her gaze. "This war has stretched our resources so thin, and our own people suffer greatly. I wish I could do more."

Aramis understood the pained sentiment. He'd felt it many times at the monastery.

"We're all doing the best we can," he said. He then caught Constance's eye and cocked his head subtly for the two of them to go back inside.

Constance reached out and slipped her arm through Anne's. "It's good to see you, Your Majesty. I'm sorry I haven't been by the palace in a while."

Anne patted her hand. "I know you've had increased duties to see to. We all have."

Constance smiled. "How is the Dauphin?"

Aramis watched them until they'd slipped back through the gate into the garrison, then turned his attention back to the fence. He'd have to do what he could to free up Constance more so she could visit the Queen at the palace. Anne didn't deserve to be so isolated from friends she could trust.

.o.0.o.

Athos flew Savron back to the refugee camp later that evening. Now that the stolen grain and meat had been recovered and the thieves dispatched, there was no reason for the City Guard to continue harassing the refugees. For now, anyway.

Savron and Vrita had kept them at bay earlier that afternoon, but the dragons couldn't stand watch forever. Nor did Athos think the people would take such an action in the spirit it was given.

Savron dropped him off at the edge of camp and then sat down to wait for his return. Given the derelict state of the camp in general, it was difficult to tell just how much ransacking the city guards had done in their search. Athos found Ninon outside her tent, lighting a lantern in the burgeoning shades of dusk.

"Athos," she greeted upon seeing him. "What brings you here so late?"

"The refugees have been cleared of all suspicion regarding the theft of the governor's stores," he told her.

She squinted at him. "Yes, we heard. You came all the way out here to tell me this?"

"And I wanted to make sure the city guards weren't giving you any more trouble."

Ninon regarded him for a moment. "Is that all?"

His jaw tightened and he drew his shoulders back. "And," he forced out, "I wanted to apologize for before, when I first came to ask if you knew anything about the poachers."

"Which part specifically are you apologizing for?"

Athos sighed. She wasn't going to make this easy for him. "I still believe the law is the law," he started. "However…the City Guard have also claimed to be acting in accordance with it, and they are not an example I would want to be associated with. I just…" He shrugged one shoulder helplessly. "I would hope to be more honorable than that."

Ninon's expression softened. "You are," she assured him. "For one thing, you don't use the law to abuse others, nor do you settle for the obvious scapegoats, but you search for the truth. That is how justice is truly upheld by you and the Musketeers."

Athos was admittedly taken aback by her response, but he inclined his head in gratitude for her kind words. He knew they still disagreed on the fundamentals of several matters, but their ideals were not that far removed from each other. It was just a difficult balance to find sometimes, between the law and true justice. There shouldn't be a discrepancy between them, Athos could agree on that, but such was the world they lived in.

"Thank you for your help again," Ninon said.

Athos nodded. He supposed that was that.

"Would you care to join me for dinner?" she asked before he could turn away.

He hesitated. "You shouldn't share what little food you have."

"It is mine to share with whom I wish," she replied with that confident quirk of her lips. "And the company is a fair trade for it. We never did have that dinner three years ago."

With a twinkle in her eye, she turned and headed into her tent. Athos faltered for just a moment longer before following after her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT TIME
> 
> The musketeers are sent to recover a dragon stolen from the French army. But they find an entire clan of dragons hurt by the war and a young woman giving them sanctuary.


End file.
